


lies, lies all around

by orphan_account



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underswap, Comedy, Depression, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Headcanon, Psychological Drama, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, flowey and temmie are not swapped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-17 23:02:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9350138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: underswap! au."Eat your taco this time," Sans said with a serious tone- or at least he tried to.Suddenly, papyrus expression saddened and sans felt like he is not ready for whatever conversation was about to happen."sans," papyrus said, with a hint of seriousness this time. unlike his brother, papyrus was perfectly capable of being serious when the circumstances urges him to."you know that i'm dead,"-[in which denial is a funny thing.]





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [вокруг лишь ложь](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11055231) by [comic_watson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/comic_watson/pseuds/comic_watson)



> and... unbeated, sorry e u e

 

he liked to imagine that birds were chirping outside.

of course his life is not some sort of fictional work- where, in just one second a happy thing would just come magically outta nowhere- like boom. they're suddenly on the surface and the birds chirping isn't just a fathom of his imagination anymore. not- the sound of the bird chirping just like how he remembered in one if those science show. sure, he's aware of it. it is because his fate had been sealed for so long- his doom, ugly fate- so ugly he had considered more than twice choking whoever the writer of his fate is.

sans hoped he didn't have to be stuck in this fate for so long, hoped something would change one day- like a human, preferably a kid, fell down here and saved his from his fate. saved his world, everyone.

huh, 'stuck in his fate', his lame- but maybe a bit cool- of course he's cool, he must be getting all the coolness from sans- brother would pop out of nowhere and said a pun he understand very well sans hated a lot.

"so a new day, but no new nothing? like you just said, we're stuck in this fate,"

sans didn't have to peek over his shoulder to notice papyrus there- leaning his back on the wall, folding his arms- technically, not arms, he didn't have tendons or nerve or meat or blood, a package that comes along with the bones so it could be called 'arms', but whatever- in front of his chest. he is naturally cool like that. a show-off sans might add. and his posture- it is as if he's judging something, everything.

he's always judging thought, it is his main job, afterall.

"just like this circumstances, stuck on the underground, probably not even 0.01% area of the planet we're currently residing in,"

have sans said that his brother is a show-off? he's a smart-ass too.

"something would happen, soon, somehow," sans replied. and despite all that horrible habit, weirdness, and those show-offy traits that his brother has, sans loved his brother a lot, he didn't think he could live a life without his brother in it.

pouring the oil onto the fry pan, sans began his daily- normal (,slightly-depressing) life, well- it would be upgraded to a normal life- someday. when they finally could get to the surface. "something, or someone, would save us from being stuck on this fate, i know it,"

"you mean- from being stuck in the underground here?" papyrus snickered. "it's kinda funny, you know,"

sans frowned when he heard the word 'funny', and for a second sans thought his brother was about to let out some sarcastic sentences or snarky remarks about how funny the idea of 'magical freedom' was and how impossible it is. but then sans's frown disappear- no, he knew papyrus well he wouldn't do that- which could destroy sans's hopes and dreams in the process. he knew his brother far too well.

"what's funny?" sans asked. obviously not for confirmation or sort of, sans understand him a whole lot.

"play of words," papyrus replied, "stuck on your fate, figuratively, stuck in here, literally,"

sans rolled his eyes- if he had one, not that he is 100% sure he would want one without him having nerves and all that human stuff- sans readied two plates of tacos, and set them on the table. "lame,"

"and you don't appreciate puns as always,"

papyrus snickered then sat on the chair, and as their eyes met sans glared at him. "what? was i wrong?" he asked with an innocent look- as if the glare just offended him. what did he do wrong?

"eat your taco this time," sans said with a serious note- or at least he tried to. sans didn't really like being all serious and stiff like this, makes the situation uncomfortable, he opted to smiling and being cheerful at everyone instead.

suddenly, papyrus expression saddened and sans felt like he is not ready for whatever conversation was about to happen.

"sans," papyrus said, with a hint of seriousness this time. unlike his brother, papyrus was perfectly capable of being serious when the circumstances urges him to.

"you know that i'm dead,"

there was a silence then, only the sound of distant laughter from the outside was heard. must be the childern- monster kid or the bunny that is put on the leash (don't be scared, it is a normal sight at snowdin)

"that's the unfunniest joke i've ever heard," sans put down his taco, suddenly not feeling really hungry.

(is he kidding? he just woke up and he knew well he is nowhere near full. not starving. or not hungry. and he knew not eating breakfast wouldn't max his stamina he has to prepare for the day.)

"you're here," sans confirmed, looking straight at papyrus. "as clear as daylight,"

"because it's all just in your head," he said, now sans could literally heard the sadness on his voice. papyrus always had a soft spot on his brother. it is like sans is his weak point (it is) and sans worried about that sometimes. because things like that could destroy you if you are not ready to accept the truth that he is gone, one day.

sans did not appreciate that. pun was a bit okay, they're horrible- but tolerable, but this? sans shook his head and he stood up, if he attempts to open his mouth to scold him for what he did; he would surely be late for work. "finish your breakfast," and pushes the chair back at its place. "i'm going out,"

he decided that he had lost his appetite. he is not hungry.

-

"i can't believe i'm doing this, but," sans smiled at the lady, his friend- and... papy's friend, without papy getting so accustomed to go the bar (for what? to get a chance to seduce this lovely lady? socialize? get a food? everytime sans asked papy the question he always changed the topic. he cannot know the answer.) sans might have not become as close as she were with him right now. "here, for free,"

sans's eyed the sweet she handed with a raised, invisible, eyebrow- and gave her a weird look before chuckling. "what? is this my birthday or something?"

"so you're saying, you don't know when is your own birthday?" muffet imitated him by raising her eyebrow, the difference, the lady does have the visible ones.

sans merely shrugged and continued cleaning the counter. he wanted to answer so badly- 'why would some mad scientist monster told his test subjects their birthday's date? i don't see the point.' but that's so not him. that's so papyrus, being pessimistic about certain things and not caring about most of things happening around him. so instead sans said, "just testing if you remember,"

muffet's chuckle rang through the sweets shop, mingling with the chatter of so many customers and barks of the other laughters, must be the dogs. "of course dear, why would i not? just consider it your lucky day, accept it or not at all,"

sans rolled his eyes, "in my lucky day, i would prefer my question got answered," sans replied back with a hint of playful tone. "you giving things for free is so not you. it's either you have been possessed by the kind-giver-angel, or the cookie is poisoned,"

muffet's chuckled, once again, "you don't poison people in the daylight, that's a careless move,"

sans snorted. "alright, but all the jokes aside, why?" sans gestured to the cookie.

muffet's rolled her eyes, "ugh, just eat it or i will shove it to that mouth of yours," but then her expression softened. "i don't know, my dear. have you been eating well? you don't look so well today,"

"oh," so it's about that. "i made breakfast," and then there's him, making terrible joke. "i always did,"

"the question is," muffet's squinted her eyes, and sans could know that she's getting more serious this time. the serious aura was all around him. "did you eat it? did you eat well?"

don't lie.

tell her, sans, don't lie to her.

"'course i did," sans said cheerfully, before picking the cookie, "like this," and shoved the cookie into his mouth, making his cheek bulge and crumbs of the sweet smeared on his cheek. "s-ee?"

"don't talk with your mouth full!"

"what? ready to order, doggies?" still with the cookie not fully digested and the crumb began to fall onto the floor. "coming!"

"that's gross sans!" muffet muffled her laugh with her hand covering her mouth. must remain ladylike in front of all her customers. must behave. after sans is gone- she could see him taking notes of what the customer ordered from afar. her gaze softened. "well," she leaned her face onto her palm, "at least he's well,"

-

you're lying.

you're a liar, sans.

"shut up, papyrus,"

"and why didn't you tell her?"

the weather is oddly cold today, and the cold is seeping into his bones. perhaps it get colder because his brother kept scolding him, or maybe the weather-god is being not consistent. "because," he stopped walking, gripping his basket of muffet's cookies tighter than necessary. he loved his brother but doesn't mean that's stopping him from getting irritated at his words. he turned toward his brother and glared at him. "i don't want her to worry,"

"she'll help you," papyrus said, a hint of worry at his voice. "she's my friend, our friend,"

sans could only look at his brother for a while, for more than a second he didn't know what to reply, "i don't need help and i'm fine," sans said with a hiss. applying more pressure at the last word, before turning his back on papyrus and strolled away. he could sense his brother rolling his eyes.

"you need help, you're not fine,"

sans ignored him. and papyrus sighed, "if what you said were true, i wouldn't be here. arguing about this shit to you,"

"do your sentry duty, papyrus." sans saw a sight of the purple door in front of him. he was near. "and language,"

papyrus sighed for what it seems like a hundred times already and left sans alone.

he let out a sigh, he as in sans, though. he readied himself. smile, check. looking cheerful, check. looking neat and as normal as before- before that day-, check. he then raised a fist to knock on the door.

"who's there?"

"c'mon, your majesty," sans rolled his eyes, putting a hint of (playfully, because he was talking in front of once the conquerer of his race- once) annoyed tone "i'm not good at this,"

there was a silence, and then the door opened, revealing the fluffy, doofy, big guy with a warm (guilty) smile. "oh, golly, i'm so sorry," it's kinda cute, how blood travels through his vein to his face and there's vaguely rosy red color on his face. and sans isn't even attracted to elder dudes. it's just, cute. like a kid that just realized what they did were wrong and then proceeded to scratch their nape while bowing their head. "it's just... a habit,"

"i know," sans gave him his playful smile, "that's why i knocked,"

"hmh," asgore resisted the urge ti chuckle; regretting why would he even felt ashamed before. he should've figured sans's trick beforehand. "you're an unpredictable kid," but he was glad- that meant he- what that person did- wasn't affecting sans in a bad way, because sans is still his playful and clever self. asgore smiled and sans shut his eyes as his skull gets patted, as if asgore wanted to mess up his hair- but- he didn't have one. "go on, come on in," asgore gestured inside. and sans nodded politely before following him up.

that was a great act, you were always a great actor. acting as if you knocked the door on purpose. acting as if everything's fine.

but the mention of that habit- hurt your soul so bad, right?

everything is not fine.

everything is fine. go away.

-

"so muffet actually is being generous today," sans put his basket of cookies on the table. "it's like Christmas came earlier,"

"oh so Christmas didn't happen everyday in Snowdin?" the goat said from the kitchen. it is as if he is shocked at sans's exclamation. but sans could tell this man's act after so many times of visiting him by now. "you people in snowdin put the gifts in front of the tree everyday," asgore said as he brew the tea. and turned off the stove.

"nah, we just really liked decorating our town," sans slapped the air and relaxed on the chair. of course, snowdin has a nice sight already. asgore then stopped at what he was doing to stare at sans in disbelief- with a look that screams- 'what we just said were silly, what were we even talking about?' and sans only shrugged. with a 'that's a ll i got' look. and they chuckled together.

"i got a book about a collection of knock knock jokes," asgore said as he resumed to what they were doing.

"not interested," sans took his time to examine his surrounding. of course, it's not like he needed to do that, but seeing the sight of this- home- asgore's home, somehow made him felt relaxed. the room is fitting for a family to live in. the chairs on the dining table already told him that.

as if he's expecting a family. like, a kid falling down- still logical. the hole on mt. ebott will never be closed anyway, and the monsters here couldn't close it as well, not in their unsupporting position right now. or, for his wife to come back, sans suppose it will be hard. but it's still logical, and not impossible.

"but... you surely got your interest on those chairs, i see,"

sans jolted a bit and then stared at asgore in return. "y-yeah? a-and why aren't you interested in concentrating on the tea? if it doesn't taste nice i don't want it,"

asgore chuckled, before putting the cups of tea on the tray. "it will taste nice, i assure you," he then put the tray on the table, and sans could see the smoke billowing because the tea is presented hot. sans would wait for it to cool down. "you're still working on muffet's?"

"yes, your majesty," sans was about to get his cup, but then stopped when asgore gave him a warning look. "and... yes?"

"it is 'asgore', sans," asgore said, he didn't really like the term 'your majesty', he didn't feel like he's in higher position than everyone nor did he felt like he's worth the title. the title itself made him shuddder, how could he handle getting called like that everyday?

"yeah, sorry, asgore," sans checkled awkwardly. he would like to keep calling him what he usually calls him- he respects him a lot. and because he also is one of papy's close friend... well, if he insist to be called otherwise. he cleared his throat and changed the topic. "anyway, i still... i mean, would like to get used to help her out. spending my time at muffet's; well, i mean i learn to like it. hard to resist the urge to swallow down the sweets, could get sugar high and no one will be pleased," and he won't be picking him out as always. not anymore. "for your information, i also need to do an extra work to get this cookies," sans huffed, pretending to be complaining.

"hm, helping... her out?" asgore raised his eyebrow, his smile unfaltering.

"yeah," sans answered, and sans thought he saw a frown on his forehead for a second. "is there anything wrong with it?"

"no, no. nothing wrong at all, on the contrary, that's so kind of you," asgore said- kind as in helping her out and giving things to asgore regularly, sans deduced. and asgore lift the lid of the basket of cookies, and his eyes widen at it. "the spiders in the ruins... didn't really have this many variety of cookies,"

"i'm just really kind as always," sans slapped the air, "and i expect to accept lots of gold from the king,"

"didn't know you intended to get close to me for money," asgore joked back. "sadly, i no longer am a king,"

"but still a really fluffy and kind dad figure,"

asgore chuckled and then he raised his cup of hot tea, showing it to sans, "i can only present you this, though: nepeta cataria,"

sans frowned (figuratively) a bit at the unfamiliar name. "and the easier-to-remember name is?"

asgore laughed at how easily sans guessed that there are other name for the flower. "catnip," asgore answered. "you're getting smarter at figuring things out," and he pulled his own cup in front of him, blowing the smoke away.

"i just got used of you saying the harder name and then you in next seconds revealing there's another easier, alternate name for it," sans imitated him blowing the smoke away, and took a sip of it.

asgore chuckled and observed him sipping it. "this will help ease restlessness and nervousness,"

sans stopped at his words, his grip on the mug getting tighter but he's careful of losing control and accidentally smashing it- or he will notice. "you think i look restless and nervous, lately?" sans stared at him as if he was joking, he hoped he was joking.

asgore nodded, and sans's soul clenched. "i know, that- you are the 'magnificent' sans," and he looked at his cup of tea, shaking it lightly. "but we all do have weaknesses, do we? no one is perfect,"

"no," sans agreed. "no one is,"

always a good actor.

i said, shut up.

"sans," sans could tell that he wouldn't like where this conversation is going. "if you have a problem, anything," asgore explained, a hint of sadness in his voice. sans resisted the urge to cut him off, he didn't want to hear it. no he doesn't want it. he is fine. fine. "you know you could share it with me, right?"

he doesn't mind.

go on, tell him.

i am fine, papyrus.

"i am fine, asgore," sans said, "i always am." sans said and then presented his cup of tea high in the air. "this tea, see? the catnip?" and then he drank it, sip by sip. and when the cup is empty, he set it on the table. "now the restlessness and nervousness are gone," sans said to him. and sans resisted the urge to frown when he heard asgore's sigh. he jumped- his boot landing onto the floor. "i need to visit alphys," and he headed to the door- wishing that asgore would let him go, that his pace would be fast enough-

"sans,"

apparently, not.

"are you sure that you're fine?"

sans stopped. but he didn't look over his shoulder to meet asgore's saddened gaze. "yes,"

and with that the conversation is over.

-

"c'mere, you runt!"

sans half-laughed half-choked as alphys headlocked him, while sans tried to get away from him- feet kicking furiously at the air. "and... what's wrong. you looked like you're... dying," she set him down after a while, and he clutched tightly on his bandana just like he clutched so hard on his dear life few seconds ago, while he regained his breath.

"oy, oy," alphys waves her hand in front of him when sans shut his eyes- death just waved in front of him. and when he opened his eyes to meet alphys's innocent eyes he glared at him. probably if he could shape his star-shaped eyes to anything it would be turned knife-shaped by now. or if the color could change it would turn dust-grey too. "one of these day you're gonna kill me for sure,"

"yeah, sorry," alphys grinned sheepishly, rubbing at her nape, but her tone are the contrary of 'sorry', far too cheerful and happy. so-not-like a sorry person. "i got cheerful, missed you dude,"

"too cheerful, and you just saw me yesterday," sans playfully rolled his eyes as he neared to undyne's house. and alphys pouted, murmuring that he didn't answer his text. "and... what's undyne doing inside? i hope it is not doing some experiment that nearly blows her house out,"

"what would papyrus would say?"

"that she is on fire," papyrus suddenly appeared from behind. and sans glared at him for it, he really didn't like it when he used that teleportation ability without considering what the effect would be for his single one HP. also it is always shocking for him if he did that, he thought he would never get used to it.

"oh yeah, that she is on fire!"

and while alphys laughed so hard just like she always did, sans rolled his eyes because- he has his reasons, alphys could see it as him being irritated because she knew he hated puns but she still did it for the sake of annoying him. while the rolling eyes is directed at papyrus as well- "i'm leaving you outside," and he went it, playfully making an exaggerated gesture to close the door. and her excited look changed to apologetic- as she stopped the door.

"is sansy mad at me now? aww," she cooed, which made him want to roll his eyes for the second times.

"yes, i am. but that won't make me stop undyne to scold me when i left her girlfriend outside," he said matter-of-factly, then opened the door wide. "come on in, reptile,"

and as the door opened too wide, he saw papyrus gave him an approving smile, finally.

she blew blueberries at him (ha!) as she walked in with too much cheerfulness, like walking in with her feet raised too high accompanied by little jumping here and there. she them playfully scowled at sans, "your level of cuteness? it changed from level 10 to 1 dude,"

"don't care, whatever you say i'm still cute," he batted his not-eye-lashes at her and she makes a face at him.

"s-sans?"

they both turned and stopped at whatever they're doing (thank god, it could last a way longer than that) at the familiar, shy voice. there, undyne with her red hair put in a messy bun, fiddled with her white lab-coat. her look are a little messy, and sans noticed the growing dark circles under her eyes. sans remembered his brother saying something along the line of 'she lacked self-confidence' or 'she could even be prettier than the queen herself if she would only took care of herself,' but that's only papyrus, always exaggerating things and making everyone faltered. he smiled- both at the thought of papyrus being so- him and at undyne's appearance. and undyne gave a smile back, while biting her lips, as if she would want to gave him her sincere, full-teeth smile but she held back. "i thought you wouldn't be coming,"

"i thought so too," but if i come home papyrus would scold me to answer all those invitation piling up at his computers.

"even thought there's no reason for you to visit them anymore, do it, search for a reason,"

"yeah!" alphys shouted and sans could see from the corner of his eyes that undyne had jolted a bit. he chuckled at that adorableness. "so... animes night?"

"did you just made those word out?" sans raised his not-eyebrow.

"what? it's pretty obvious, 'anime night' meant a night spent with binge-watching animes, something wrong?"

"no, you're just as weird as always," sans snickered, and she scowled.

"oh please, you can't call this creativity 'weirdness',"

"fine, then. creativity," he turned away and rolled his eyes. "weirdo," he whispered.

"hey, hey, i heard that," she squinted her eyes as she pointed accusingly at him.

"no, you don't,"

"a-alphys," undyne cut her off. sans noticed that this might probably be a normal occasion, someone cutting them off because they could argue for days if they wanted to. but sans noticed the increasing speed of her fiddling with her clothes- as if she had been waiting to do something. "y-you could prepare teas f-for sans," undyne smiled at him, as if she's being polite- when they have known each other for so long. "the kitchen is yours,"

alphys was about to shout out of excitement when sans decided to spark a fire, "no," it is a good thing skeleton couldn't frown, if he could, undyne would notice it. "i have had my tea with asgore, i don't think i would need another one," sans was getting more suspicious, after finally coming to visit her friends- they couldn't just want to watch animes together right? there should be something else that they wanted.

"oh, i insist," undyne said. and the loss of her stuttering didn't surprise sans somehow. "make something, alphys, go crazy with the ingredients,"

sans was about to say another thing to reject the offer- it didn't seem like an offer anymore to him. she was not so directly forcing him. but then alphys cut him off before he could even say anything- "oh yes baby!" alphys shouted, her fist coming down to the front of her stomach. "i would make the greatest meal you'll ever taste!"

sans send him a half-hearted smile at alphys, before she went off.

there was a silence, and then the noises from the kitchen- looks like the pan clattering down to the floor- broke the tension of the two of them. "oooops! sorry!" and so is alphys's positivity and cheerfulness.

"she would made quite a mess," sans said with expressionless face.

"will not be the first time she did it, and will not be the last as well," she smiled. and sans couldn't tell if that smile was supposed to be mocking him or sort of. she then sat on the sofa, relaxing herself. "please," she gestured to the sofa across of her.

"what is this? you're my therapist now? we're playing a kid's play now?"

undyne sighed. "please, just, sit," she gestured at the sofa again. and sans sighed, he decided it would just be the best of him to just 'get over it'. "i'm fine," he said as he slumped on the sofa. and from across the room, sans could see papyrus, giving him disapproving look.

"i haven't even asked yet," undyne sighed, again. as she messed her hair and looked to the floor, seemingly defeated. "how are you feeling, sans?"

sans could see papyrus from afar mouthing, "you're not fine,"

"i'm fine!" sans shouted, more to the figure across the room than to undyne. but sans's tone make undyne's head snapped toward him.

"she knew me well the most," papyrus whispered to him. "just tell her,"

"okay," undyne raised both of her hands. "have you been... sleeping well?"

"yes," he resisted the urge to roll his eyes, or he couldn't do it because his attention got fixed on papyrus mouthing, 'no, you're not,'

undyne looked over her shoulder, and then to sans. "what were you looking at?"

sans massaged his nasal bridge, "nothing," he answered, "literally nothing,"

there was a silence on the room. maybe it is silent for undyne, but all sans could feel was papyrus giving him a 'please' look at sans to just- tell her.

"if you have a problem, anything," undyne started. and sans began to hate the word 'problem', he has no 'problem'. he is fine. "i want you to tell me,"

"tell you WHAT?"

sans shouted. finally the anger he had been wanting to repress- got out. "i have no problem, i am fine. i am FINE!" he shouted again, at the verge of tears. why wouldn't his friend just believe in him? papyrus gave him a look. that look sans hated so much. "but why- why-" sans's voice broke, he didn't think he could handle it anymore, "why do you think- all of you- think that i am not fine? i am FINE! JUST BELIEVE ME!"

"SANS!" undyne shouted back- she is between wanting to scold sans for shouting, or for sans to just snap out of it. undyne decided to calm her ragged breath a bit. "when papyrus-"

"DON'T!" sans didn't realize his vision got blurry and his eyes felt hot. why, why, why? "DON'T YOU DARE-"

"WHEN PAPYRUS DIED!" tears rolled down to her cheek. "YOU DIDN'T- YOU DIDN'T CRY!"

oh.

so it's because of that?

he started to chuckle, and when he let tears fell down to his cheek and his palm on his knees he started to laugh so hard he thought he couldn't stop crying. undyne would love to slap him to snap out of it but she waited, until sans stopped laughing (at who? at what?) and glared at him with a look if despise. "so i HAVE to cry when he died? i HAVE to BREAK when he is GONE!?" sans neared at her, his face only a few inches from her. "you assume that when he is gone i am, automatically a broken individual? NO!"

"YES!"

her answer took him back. and she stared into his eyes, "when you lose someone you love you are supposed to- at least- be sad because of it!"

sans only stared at her with a look of disbelief, "but you-" undyne grabbed his collar, "yOU ONLY STARED BLANKLY! AS IF ACTING IF HE'S-" undyne fell to her knees, "-as if he's still here..."

sans only stared at the sobbing figure, confused- but a part of him knew that she were true. undyne looked up, "he's not, he's gone, sans,"

and then something clicked on his brain, and all those confusion are replaced by anger. "oh, that's rich, undyne, stop the acting right now!"

undyne stared at him, confused. and sans looked down at her, literally and figuratively. "it's the cameras, isn't it?"

undyne's SOUL clenched, and papyrus- who had been smiling- and perhaps, sniffling across the room, stopped and gave him that look.

"and you, STOP GIVING ME THAT LOOK!" sans pointed at him.

he pointed at the wall.

and then he stared at undyne, again, wiping his tears off. "it is what you saw on the camera, right? me, talking to a thin air, me, possibly turning INSANE, UNSTABLE, BROKEN!"

"sans-"

"LET ME GO!"

sans went away and went to the direction of the door. he didn't want to see undyne, didn't want to see papyrus. "HE TOLD YOU TO SHARE YOUR PROBLEMS, DIDN'T HE?"

and his steps stopped.

"what? you think my cameras are super sophisticated?" undyne sniffled, then stood up. "d-don't be like him, pushing away everyone who offered help," she muttered sadly. and sans could feel that papyrus is taken aback at that. not even him expecting those words. "please don't make the same mistake as he did," she sobbed, before putting her arms around his shoulder. "he is gone, and you- you need to accept it, let him go," she buried her face onto the crook of his neck. and sans let him, for a while he is motionless, only seeing the floor in front of him as if it was the most interesting sight in the world.

"...he is gone,"

"yeah," she murmured, "gone,"

sans could see papyrus in front of him, smiling. and sans then let the tears fall, sobbing. "bastard," he whispered.

and for the first time for a long time, he let himself cry while calling out of his brother's name. "he is gone undyne," he sniffled, "gone,"

"i know," she rocked him slowly, as if she were holding a baby, she didn't mind sans's grip that tightened on her sleeve. "i know,"

a minute later, alphys then came into view, awkwardly standing there and asking if their drama is over. they only cried harder and alphys joined the hug to let them know that she would be there, to support them, through everything.

in the end, alphys cried as well because her two friends wouldn't stop crying.

-

"here,"

sans frowned at the key that was too familiar to him and looked at undyne questioningly, "how did you find it?"

"so it's true that you threw it away," she chuckled, and then grabbed sans's gloved hand, "papyrus gave me this after he did- well, that- maybe he could predicted the future or sort of, he only gave it to me and told me not to open anything that fits the key, now i know what he meant," undyne rolled her eyes as she remembered his silliness. but then gave her best smile to his brother and put the key on the palm. "open it, clean it up, must be dusty in there,"

sans smiled, and then clenched the key on his hand. "thank you," sans said. "i will miss you guys,"

"ohhh you better visit us often, you runt!"

"oof!"

"urgh!"

they both fell onto the snow, right after she launched her bone-crushing hug. beside them are sans's luggage.

undyne had said, that it would be best for him to move out, it would be painful to kept staying at their- his now, home. the home was too big for one person anyway, and he figured that he was lonely in there.

"so you're really moving out," muffet appeared, holding a basket of cookies- sans hoped. and sans sat down, eyeing her as he smiled. "i'll visit," sans assured her. and muffet kneeled to hug him.

"i was so worried back then," she patted sans's back, and continued on, "i am glad that now you are okay,"

sans laughed, and then they both stood up. "thank you for everything, muffet," the spider lady nodded. and sans turned to show undyne the key she gave to him.

sans entered his home, and his eyes traveled to that room. a room he wouldn't open before. of course he had the key for it- once, before he decided he wouldn't want to open. it- ever. imagining how much it hurt to see his room already hurt him.

(maybe he knew deep down if he opened the door, his ghost-papyrus would disappear, at the sight of the empty bedroom)

he then chuckled to himself, "you future-predicter,"

he opened his room, and nostalgia hit him.

not enough to make him hurt, he had learned to accept, had learned to forgive.

the room is dusty, as undyne had said, and he gave him longing look at the room. he sighed and them started to make the bed, and clean the room up.

on the table there's a letter and a key, he picked it up.

-

after the crying-cuddling-session, undyne started to reveal to him that they were once working as a team- under the direction of the royal scientist himself.

"but then accident happened," undyne said, "some people said he fell into his own creation- the core- to the void, but i don't really remember much,"

sans raised his non-existent eye-brow, "you don't remember?"

undyne shrugged, "maybe the core have this weird thing to make one's appearance disappear, and when a person's appearance disappeared, we lost our memory about that person," undyne unconsciously drew her hands to touch her head.

"never really want to remember that guy, as much as i remember that guy is a jerk," undyne scowled, before sipping her coffee, "we decided to call him, 'science person',"

sans laughed at that, and that's a nice change because he just spent his time crying a mess few minutes ago, "that's uncreative name,"

undyne shrugged again, and chuckled, "can't do anything about it, we both forgot who his name was,"

they sipped the drink for some more, and undyne started again, "but then, someday, papyrus said crazy things like- that the science-person could be his father,"

sans's brow twitched at that. that's crazy. "my father?"

"yeah, your father too," undyne nodded, "and he decided to 'experiment' on somewhere on your home," undyne stared at her coffee, "he liked to call it 'secret place',"

sans thought about it for a second, oh of course, how could he not know? "i think i know where this was,"

undyne grinned at him. "and you will go there,"

-

"hey,"

asgore greeted sans with a smile, "hello," asgore said back, with a playful bow. "my child,"

sans laughed at that, oh he will surely have a happy start in here. "wouldn't people think you're weird," sans started, "if a goat is having a skeleton as a child?"

"nah, then those people are no fun," asgore started enveloping him on his furry hand, and lifted him up, sans yelped- and he laughed as he was carried as if he was a baby. "i'm. not. a. child!" sans hit asgore repeatedly, and asgore only laughed.

"oh, but you are my child now,"

and sans doesn't mind, since he never has a proper father before.

-

"hey,"

"what? i'm busy,"

sans rolled his eyes at how undyne purposely flipped the papers so it would sound loud across the phone. "missed me already?"

"i missed your shyness," sans chirped, as he eyed the pointy trap in front of him. he could do it. "where are them?"

sans could hear undyne's laugh rang through the phone, and he passed the trap easily. he had a certain place to go here, he didn't chose to stay in the ruins for nothing.

"i found a photo of three people on papy's secret lab," he said finally, he smiled at his lil achievement. it used to be so hard just to call his name. "just in case you wanted to remember the face of this 'science-person', we could meet up and i will show you the photo,"

"oh just keep it," undyne's groan rang through sans's ears, and sans chuckled at the image of the former-scientist assistant getting frustrated. "told ya he was a jerk and i don't want to remember him,"

sans saw the darkened room. there was a source of light up there, eliminating a certain spot on the dark room. sans chuckled and then whispered to his phone, "'dyne? i need to go, call you later,"

he didn't know why he was crouching, or why he was feeling anxious, but the aura in here just seem- off. and then sans spotted it.

on the middle of a field, there was a lone, yellow flower, it looked like it hadn't been watered for a long time. sans gulped, but papyrus's letter told him to meet- him or was it an 'it'?

"uh- hello?"

the creature jerked, and then the flower turned toward sans. and sans almost dramatically closed his mouth- he had seen talking dogs, talking spiders, but a moving flower? it was new.

the flower only stared at him with dead eyes and it felt awkward.

sans cleared his throat and saved his courage to walk toward him and crouched next to him. "uh," sans said slowly, "are you- flowey?" sans started unsurely. "papyrus told me to meet you,"

and then there was something- lighting up on the flower's face, "ahh, that smiley trashbag," oh, so it did talk. he moved toward sans and inspected him closer, for a second the moving vine and head of the flower, the eyes and lips of it- scared him. "so you're the his brother,"

the vine added its length and sans backed his head away as his face neared few inches apart. sans could barely breather. something about this flowey scared him. "hey," he began, "kill me,"

-

"you're so cool, y'know,"

alphys threw a ball to the wall, it bounced, she got it, and repeated the process. "you could understand sans like that,"

undyne shook her head in frustation, maybe, she was frustrated at the two chemical that is supposed to react right... about... now. it stayed like that. undyne sighed, and pulled off his google. "i will take a break,"

"he talked to you too, right?"

and undyne stopped pulling his gloves altogether. her breath hitched, "yeah," she finally answered. not looking at alphys, but to the floor. a habit to ignore eye-contact whenever she's talking about uncomfortable things. "kept talking to me to help sans out,"

there was a silence then, because alphys stopped throwing the ball and stared at her intently.

"s-something you want to ask?"

she only chuckled sheepishly and continued to throw the ball to ease the awkward atmosphere, "what was it about?" she finally asked, even thought she was careless, she is thoughtful enough to think if this is an okay question to ask or not. "the whole thing about him imagining papyrus is still there?"

"my hypothesis is that because he is a monster that neared the physic of a human," she began to explain, as she washed her hand on the faucet. "so how he behave psychologically must be the same as the humans,"

"he denied papyrus's death, but there was still a part of him that wants to accept the truth, that reminded him that believing lies are unhealthy," undyne then sat down beside her, "and that half good part of him came in the imagination of the person that would likely remind him why it is unhealthy, and the half-bad part of him that are filled with lies: his brother itself,"

"but," alphys frowned. "you're nowhere 'human',"

"a hypothesis need an experiment to prove if it is true or not," undyne snapped at her, "and i am not some evil scientist jerk trying to experiment on some people,"

"that sounds way too specific," alphys frowned.

"huh," if course it is. and undyne tilted head to rest at her shoulder. "yeah,"

-

"so since he's dead, he practically dumped his responsibility to explain all if the confusing stuff, to you?"

sans weighed his words for a second, and then he nodded. and flowey exhaled exaggeratedly.

"okay, since i got nothing to do anyway," flowey started. "you better open your ears idiot, this will be a bit confusing,"

"i'm used to hear confusing things," sans chirped.

"okay," then the real story started, "i was once the prince of the underground,"

sans gritted his teeth, so hard that he thought he would die bursting put of laughing, and flowey frowned. "hey. you keep that face and I WILL BREAK YOUR BONES OFF,"

"sorry," sans seemed unpertubed at this, flowey touched his bone, he could step on the flower and it dies. "do continue,"

"i was being serious!"

"yeah, i be- ha ha- i believe you,"

flowey groaned and he told him about the resets, about chara, about how he used to play with the power he once had, and... about what papyrus did.

"so we're stuck in this loophole?" sans asked.

"not we, since you idiots won't remember the next time reset happened. only me, papyrus- that trash- and the kid who control it," flowey huffed. "it is used to be my power,"

sans frowned, if he could. "and papyrus broke the rule? how?"

flowey sighed, if sans was a born-genius he would probably count how many times had flowey sighed and the count would surpass 100. "since not one of you remembered the resets, you guys kept doing the things you did the last- well, sometimes you remembered, vaguely of it. but papyrus, me, we knew every step the kid would take- for the kid had literally taken every route," flowey explained. "and one day, papyrus broke the rule,"

"he..." sans trained. "he didn't do what he is supposed to do?"

"can't believe a monster without brain could be smart enough to understand all this shit,"

sans shrugged, with an annoying smile on his face. "it happened,"

flowey sighed, again? "papyrus were supposed to only fight the kid if they had killed everyone," he continued, "but he made his choice, he met him on the waterfall, killed the kid, and broke the game mechanism," if flowey could shrug he would do it, "what's a game with its puppet not wanting to obey the puppeteer?"

"so then the kid couldn't reset," sans said, eyes widening, "and papyrus... disappeared,"

"so the puppeteer, decided to punish the rebellious puppet,"

"but he did those..." sans trailed off. "for us,"

"yeah, yadda, yadda," flowey rolled his eyes. "anyway, the machine on the basement," he said. "i thought it was a time machine," he grinned.

sans shook his head. "it is papyrus's," and he began to stood up. "i didn't know how to use it anyway, and if he chose to abandon it, so it would be,"

"yOU COULD TRY," flowey shrieked. his vine circling his ulna. "c'MON BRING THE KID BACK. IM BORED. BORED. BORED,"

"no," sans said sternly, "if he wanted me to use it, he would have given me an instruction," sans pulled his feet away from the vine. "do it again and i would step on you," sans smiled, and walked away.

"SAAAAAAAAANS!!!!"

"you have me as your friend now!" sans shouted from the distance, without stopping nor looking over his shoulder, "i will visit regularly, you wouldn't be bored!"

and with that, sans disappeared.

-

asgore tucked him into bed, and sans pulled his blanket higher, covering his neck. after saying his goodnight to him he walked out to turn off the lamp, but then he stopped at the doorstep.

"you know," he began,

"when i lost my child, i began to see him too," from the dim light, sans could see asgore's chest heaved s sigh. "it is in a form of a flower, and it killed me," asgore then chuckled, as if not believing what he just said. "i don't know, it is really vague, weird right?"

"must be a bad dream then," sans said.

"well," asgore put his hand on the doorknob. "it certainly is,"

"goodnight," sans said. "dad," he smiled playfully. and asgore chuckled, "night," and the door closed.

sans reached out to his phone and typed something to undyne.

he then put his phone back to the table, and pulled a crumpled of paper that papyrus wrote. and closed his eyes.

-

'if you decided to open this, that meant you have decided to let me go, which is, good.

maybe it is time for you to learn the truth.

there's a key to my 'secret place' go there if you like.

flowey lived on the ruins, tell him i sent you,

and also, sans.  
you know that even if im not there, i will always be there, right? in your SOUL, on your memory.

cherish the memories you would make.

you would never lose them again.

P.'

 

**Author's Note:**

> i left so many vague notes and hints, pls be wary of them.


End file.
